be wrought upon by this publick Reproof and Cenfure; then you have delivered your felf, you have done your Duty, you may leave him as a defperately incorrigible Sinner, and have no more to do with him. 18. Affuredly I tell you, whatever ye fhall determine upon Earth, proceeding according to these my Directions, fhall be confirmed and ratified by God in Hea yen: 19. And whatever two or three of 19 Again I fay that if two unto you, shall agree you to ask of God, in order to the acting conformably to the Inftructions I have given you, fhall certainly be granted by him. 20. For wherever there be gathered together, tho' together, tho' never fo fmall a Congrega of you fhall agree on earth touching any thing that they fhall ask, it fhall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in tion of you, in my Name the midft of them. and according to my Appointment; there am I always ready to affift and joyn with you, and intercede for you. 21 Then Peter to him, and faid, Lord, how oft fhall my brother fin againft me, and I forgive him? til 21 Then came 21. Then Peter asked Jefus, faying; Lord, if a a Man trefpafs against me, and repent; and afterwards trefpafs again, and repent; how often am I bound to forgive him, if he continues to repent after repeated Offences? muft I forgive him seven times ?. seven times? 22. Jefus answered: Nay, you must not confine your Refolution of forgiving, to any number of Offences; But how often foever a Man may have trefpaffed against you, yet if he repent, you muft continue to forgive him. For fince God forgives Men more and greater Offences, which have been committed against his Divine Majefty; nothing can be more reasonable, than that they should be obliged to forgive one another their fmaller Trefpaffes.. 23. And this you will more clearly understand by A ceran eafie Similitude. tain King called all his Servants to an Account, that he might fee how each one food P 4 in indebted to him: Thus God examines and judges the Actions of all Men, who receive what they have from him, and are bound to employ it to his Service and Glory. 24. Now when this King began to look into his Accounts, he found one man that owed him no less than ten thousand talents: Thus God, when he inspects the Actions of Men, finds that some have wholly mifemployed the Abilities he intrusted them with, and that all have committed very many Offences against him. 25. Then, this man having Spent all, and having nothing to pay, the King commanded bim and all that he had to be fold, that fo the Debt might be difcharged: Thus God threatens wicked Men, to inflict the Punishment of their Sins upon them. 26, 27. But the Man fell on his Knees before the King, and promifed, if he would give him time, to pay bim all; Whereupon the King in compaffion fet him at li berty, and forgave him the Debt: Thus God, when great Sinners appear forrowful, humble, and penitent, mercifully affords them fpace of Repentance, and is ready to forgive them all their paft Tranfgreffions. 28. The Man being thus fet at liberty, meets afterwards with one of his own Debtors, who owed him only an bundred Pence; and, not confidering how mercifully he had been dealt with himself, violently demands the Debt of him: Thus wicked Men, not confidering how much Mercy. they stand in need of themfelves, and with what longfuffering God defers and is willing to remit their own Punishment; are fierce to have the little Affronts, which others do to them, im. mediately revenged! i. 29, & 30. And tho the poor Debtor fell down on his Knees, and begged only that he might have time allowed him; yet this Man would bear hear nothing, but threw him prefently into Prison: Thus wicked Men, though those who have offended them repent, and defire Pardon, yet they obftinately perfift in their defire of Revenge. 31, & 32, & 33: But when the King heard of this his Behaviour, he called him before him again, and charged bim with his Ingratitude and Cruelty, in fhewing no Gompaffion to his Fellow - SerFellow - Servant, after he had received So much Mercy himself: Thus when God fees thofe, the Punishment of whose greater Crimes he had withheld in order to give them space of Repentance, refufe to pardon the smaller Offences of o. thers committed against them, he becomes highly provoked. 34, 35. And then the King having no more Patience, commanded him to be caft into Prifon, till he should pay the utmost Farthing |